


still here

by katierosefun



Series: Whumptober [Clone Wars] [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, BAMF Ahsoka Tano, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Protective Ahsoka Tano, Rescue Missions, Whump, Whumptober 2020, injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:22:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26772865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katierosefun/pseuds/katierosefun
Summary: "We’re short on time and resources, and we can’t just wait around any longer for…” She didn’t bother finishing that sentence. She let her hands drop from the holoprojector, looked up at the viewport where the blue lights of outside were still trickling in to the rest of the ship.“They’ll be fine, Commander,” Rex said at last. “They’ve survived worse.”Ahsoka looked at Rex. “I know,” she replied. She folded her arms over her chest and straightened up. “Let’s just make sure it stays that way by the time we get them.”[or: Ahsoka leads a rescue mission after Obi-Wan and Anakin are kidnapped.]
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & CT-7567 | Rex
Series: Whumptober [Clone Wars] [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1504868
Comments: 8
Kudos: 170





	still here

Ahsoka had seen her master angry before. She had heard him yell and push and push until whoever was on the other end of that anger had no choice but to submit. Once, Ahsoka had just watched and felt a strange curiosity—and Anakin would always look at her and tell her that _sometimes_ , people just needed a little bit of pressure to get talking. 

Which was why Ahsoka did the same thing. Sometimes. Not all the time, of course—Master Luminara had scolded her that one time, and Ahsoka had been around similar teachers enough to know that there was a time and place to keep those intimidation tactics for only truly desperate measures. 

Like right now. 

Right now counted as a desperate measure. 

“Unless you want to be turned into scrap metal, you’ll tell me where they are,” Ahsoka said, holding her lightsaber close to the tactical droid’s head. She was aware of the other droids still sparking around her feet from where she and the others had taken care of them. Somewhere nearby, Ahsoka knew that Rex had his blasters cocked at the ready too. Everyone was still—still and humming with the same kind of energy that had carried Ahsoka through the ship. 

The tactical droid tilted its head. “There is a thirty percent chance that they are already—” 

“That wasn’t what I asked,” Ahsoka snapped, holding her lightsaber closer. This time, the tactical droid fell quiet. “Now _tell_ me where they are.” 

\--

In the end, Ahsoka wound up shoving the tactical droid at Rex and the others. The droid wouldn’t be turned into scrap metal, no matter how much Ahsoka threatened. They still needed the information in the droid, and even though the droid had taunted Ahsoka with statistics that made her stomach turn, she at least knew where Anakin and Obi-Wan were. 

Even if they were on the other side of the galaxy. 

\--

“Still here?” 

“This isn’t exactly something we can improvise,” Ahsoka said, keeping her eyes on the holoprojector. She had her elbow resting on a crossed arm, her fingers just barely brushing against her jaw. Her fingers were cold, she realized, and she set her hand back down to her side, as though that gesture alone might transfer some warmth back into it. 

She reached over to the holoprojector with her other hand, zoomed in on a sector of the fortress sitting before her. “If what the tactical droid said was correct—and it better be—they should be here.” 

Rex came up on Ahsoka’s other side, tilted his head to look at the space she was pointing to. After a moment, he asked, “So what’s the plan?” 

Ahsoka zoomed the hologram back out so that they were looking at the entire fortress. “There’ll be security everywhere,” she said. “But our droid friend is going to work as our ticket in. He’ll keep the others company, and then we go in. Go out.” 

“And the intel?” 

“Already being extracted,” Ahsoka replied. She turned the hologram around so that she was back to looking at the rescue point. She zoomed in again. The cell that the tactical droid had identified was tucked away, built straight into the wall. Similar to the Citadel, Ahsoka noted. But not quite. At least there wouldn’t be any lava moats. And at least Ahsoka didn’t have to freeze into carbonite for this mission. 

She wouldn’t have minded the extra help, though. From Master Luminara or Master Plo or anyone, really, but they were all spread thin, which was why Ahsoka was here. Alone. 

Well, mostly alone. 

“So,” Rex said. “We bring the droid with us. What then?” He tapped the hologram. “There’ll be other droids that’ll want us to move the ship.” 

“Not right away, they won’t,” Ahsoka replied, tapping to where the landing platform sat on the hologram. “The tactical droid will inform them that the ship can’t be touched right away—something about repairs, and that there’s already other droids working on it.” She glanced at Rex. “That’s us, by the way.” 

“And they’ll buy that?” 

“They’ll have to,” Ahsoka replied grimly. She deactivated the hologram and stepped away. “We’re short on time and resources, and we can’t just wait around any longer for…” She didn’t bother finishing that sentence. She let her hands drop from the holoprojector, looked up at the viewport where the blue lights of outside were still trickling in to the rest of the ship. 

“They’ll be fine, Commander,” Rex said at last. “They’ve survived worse.” 

Ahsoka looked at Rex. “I know,” she replied. She folded her arms over her chest and straightened up. “Let’s just make sure it stays that way by the time we get them.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

\--

Ahsoka closed her eyes as she listened to the tactical droid step down the ramp. She heard the distant clank of the other droids coming her way—and then she heard their voices as they confirmed that “ _yes, I am here to report on_ …” and “ _my identification number is_ …” 

Ahsoka opened her eyes to find Rex on the ground across from her. He was still too, and though Ahsoka couldn’t see his expression through his helmet, she knew that he was holding his breath as they both listened to the clanking feet of the droids make their way around the ship. Ahsoka closed her eyes again, and she was suddenly glad that it was only Rex and herself here, after all. 

_It’s a tight space_ , Ahsoka had told the others. _And the ship has to be small. We’ll be in and out_. 

“The ship is being repaired,” Ahsoka heard the tactical droid say. “Do not waste your time.” 

A few sounds that Ahsoka guessed were the equivalent of grunts of agreement. Not regular battle droids, then. Ahsoka smelled the ozone a moment later, and she stiffened slightly. Not regular battle droids at all—MagnaGuards. Of course. Ahsoka remembered her first encounter with them ever. She had been alone then, too, with a howling Huttlet at her back. 

Ahsoka tightened her grip over her lightsabers as she heard the clank of another foot come her way. 

“I have urgent information,” the tactical droid said blandly. “I cannot be delayed.” 

A buzz— _definitely_ MagnaGuards—and then the footsteps were leading away. 

For a few seconds, neither Ahsoka nor Rex moved. 

Not until Ahsoka heard the slide of a door open, close. 

And then Ahsoka sprang to her feet. She looked out the viewport: the MagnaGuards and the tactical droid had disappeared. She counted ten, fifteen seconds. That would have to be long enough for them to get out of the corridor. 

“Come on,” Ahsoka whispered. 

They left the ship.

\--

They made their way through the corridors. Ahsoka kept her hands on the lightsaber hilts as she walked, ready at just a moment’s notice. She kept thinking a MagnaGuard would come walking around the corner, but nothing. And maybe Ahsoka would have almost preferred the MagnaGuards, because at least that meant she could get out all the nervous energy coiling tighter and tighter and tighter within herself—

But no, there was something else now—

Ahsoka stopped. “We’re getting close,” she whispered. 

“How do you know?” 

“I just do,” Ahsoka replied. And she ventured on, not bothering to give any more of an explanation to Rex. She didn’t think he needed it, anyways. 

And they walked—they walked and walked, the only sounds their soft footsteps, and then Ahsoka let that anxiety within her slip away as she tried to pinpoint the other feelings floating around her. A general calm, although not one that belonged to Ahsoka or Rex—that was coming from somewhere deeper in the ship, probably from whatever sleemo of a warden still thought things were still secure. 

But Ahsoka had felt something else…

She closed her eyes. Focused. Navigated her way through all the thoughts still whispering at the back of her head, asking about that thirty percent that the tactical droid had brought up earlier— _what about that thirty percent_ —

Ahsoka shoved those thoughts away. 

_Focus._

And when Ahsoka reopened her eyes, she found herself standing in front of a door. 

“Is this…” 

“Yes.” 

Neither of them waited a second longer. Both Ahsoka and Rex slammed down on the button to open the doors. 

\--

The smell hit Ahsoka first. Something sour and rotten and weirdly metallic. 

And then Ahsoka saw the two dark shapes that had to be—

One of the shapes moved. Ahsoka saw the glint of something blue, but then that too was replaced by darkness as—

“‘soka?” 

At first, Ahsoka couldn’t respond. She tried to—she really, really tried to, but her throat was too tight, and her chest was too tight, and then Anakin lifted his head, and Ahsoka knew that she couldn’t stay quiet, not when she saw the bruises around his throat or the dried blood gathered around his temples.

Ahsoka didn’t think. She dropped down to her knees, brought tentative hands up to Anakin’s arm. “Come on,” she whispered. “We’re getting you—we’re getting—” She forced her hands steady as she turned to the other dark shape. “Is that—” 

The low groan confirmed all that Ahsoka needed to know. 

“Rex,” she said, trying to keep her voice even. “Rex, could you—” 

“On it,” Rex replied, dropping down to the ground. Ahsoka caught a glimpse of dirtied auburn hair, dried blood before she turned away, her chest winding too tight again. 

“We’re getting you two out of here,” Ahsoka whispered. “Right now. Anakin? Can you—” 

“Yeah,” Anakin said, his eyes fluttering closed briefly. His voice was so _low_ , even for himself. Low and hoarse, as though he had gone days without water. He might as well have. “Let me just…” He started to sit up, swayed a little. Ahsoka grabbed him before he could fall, heard and felt Anakin’s huff of a laugh. Ahsoka knew he was faking it, though, because she could feel him shaking against her even as she adjusted his grip on his arms. A low, low kind of trembling that Ahsoka could feel in her bones. “Obi-Wan’s…” 

“I’ve got him, sir,” Rex said, and Ahsoka turned to find Obi-Wan’s head lolling against Rex’s shoulder. He looked just as bad as Anakin, now that Ahsoka could actually see his colorless face. There were bruises around his throat too, bruises and scraped skin and beads of rust-colored marks all over his skin. His eyes fluttered open once, and Obi-Wan seemed to only take a slow look around the cell: at Rex, then Ahsoka, then Anakin, before closing his eyes again with a barely audible sigh. 

If Obi-Wan couldn’t even say anything—

“Come on,” Ahsoka said, tugging at Anakin lightly. He didn’t resist. “We’re—” 

She didn’t get to finish. Everyone froze as the clank of droid feet sounded down the hallway. 

“We’re leaving _no_ ,” Ahsoka said. 

And without bothering to give a warning—and hating that she couldn’t in the first place, Ahsoka yanked Anakin out of the cell. Anakin, to his credit, didn’t so much as let out a sound as they bolted down the hallway. (Well, Ahsoka bolted; Anakin crashed hard enough into her side that they both almost collapsed into the wall. But Ahsoka still had control of her balance, even if Anakin decidedly didn’t.) 

“Sorry—” 

“Don’t,” Ahsoka said. She yanked at Anakin again, and the two were darting down the hallway again, their feet stumbling over each other as they ran down, down, down…

Ahsoka felt the heat of a blaster fire nearby her cheek as she ducked around the corner, slamming both Anakin and herself out of range from the laser. A moment later, Rex and Obi-Wan were at Ahsoka’s other side too: Obi-Wan now wide awake, Rex ducking his head around the corner before slamming back around to avoid blaster fire. 

Breathing hard, Ahsoka looked up at Anakin. His eyes were still painfully glazed, his breathing hard. Ahsoka could see the bruises around hs throat even more clearly now. 

Anakin looked down at Ahsoka, and noticing where she was looking, Anakin ducked his head. “So,” he asked, panting, “what’s the plan?” 

“Ship,” Ahsoka managed. 

“Sounds like my kind of plan.” 

Ahsoka knew that was supposed to be a joke, but she didn’t laugh. “Come _on_.” 

And then they were running off again, this time with the blaster fire right at their heels. Ahsoka spun around, deflected the blaster fire without looking. She could tell from the identical thunks of metal on metal that she had found her mark. Up ahead, Ahsoka could see the doors out. Their exit, and then home—

Ahsoka turned around. More droids. Lots of droids. And up ahead—

Ahsoka found Anakin’s hand in the midst of the blaster fire. It was cold in hers, but she squeezed it as hard as she could. 

They burst through the doors. 

And then they were bolting up the ramp of the ship, and Ahsoka didn’t even remember letting go of Anakin’s hand: she just remembered scrambling over to the controls and her shaking hands running over the coordinates and then shouting at Rex about _something_ , and then getting the ship off the ground. 

\--

“You’re still here.” 

Ahsoka looked over her shoulder. 

Rex was hovering at the doorway of the medbay, his helmet tucked under his arm. 

Ahsoka turned back around. Anakin and Obi-Wan were sleeping on parallel cots, the bruises around their throats still stark against their pale skin. The blood had been washed off, but everything else…

Ahsoka heard Rex come to her other side. 

They stood watch.

**Author's Note:**

> hmm, wasn't exactly sure how i felt about this one, but here we are! written for whumptober day 2, 'in the hands of the enemy'--i relied on the subprompt 'kidnapping'. 
> 
> As always, comments/kudos are greatly appreciated!


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